Water-closet indicator



(No Model.)

J. DIHRBERG.

WATER CLOSET INDICATOR.

No. 437,101. Patented Sept. 23, 1890..

fi/v VENTOI? r v m I B) J A HORNE g WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN DII-IRBERG, OF VISALlA, CALIFORNIA.

WATER-CLOSET INDICATOR SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,101, dated September 23, 1890.

Application filed May 16, 1890. Serial No. 352,035. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN DIHRBERG, of Visalia, in the county of Tulare and State of California, have invented a new and Improved Water-Closet Indicator, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention has for its object the doing away with that annoyance which attaches to Water-closets, especially in hotels and boarding-houses, owing to the absence of an ything to indicate from the exterior when said closets are occupied or vacant. Many of such closets are not provided with interior hooks or bolts to secure the occupant from intrusion, as such fastenings are'in many cases objectionable and have even necessitated the breaking in of the door in case of sickness of the occupant, or when from other reasons the closet has been unduly long occupied, while if. the closet-door only be shut to and not bolted or hooked occupants are frequently exposed to the annoyance of attempted intrusion by others, which is equally annoying to the intruders.

.My invention consists in a water-closet indicator of prominent and permanent character for attachment to the outside of the closetdoor, and which is controlled by a cord or string from the interior, to signify when the closet is occupied, substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims, and whereby the objections hereinbefore narrated are avoided.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 represents afront view of awatercloset door in part, with an indicator embodying my invention applied and as exposing by suitable word the occupancy of the closet. Fig.2 is a vertical section through the door and transversely through the indicator; Fig. 3, a horizontal section upon the line 3 3 in Fig. 2; and Fig. .4, a View in perspective of the door in part with indicator attached.

A indicates a box, preferably made of metal and of any convenient size, with its opening in front covered by a glass b. This box is designed to be attached at its back to the outside of the door B of the closet, any number of nails or screws being used to secure it, and the same being arranged either at its end or sides, or both, according to the style of door or otherwise.

Inside the box, extending throughout the length of it or thereabout, is an upright curved indicating-plate 0, made of any suitable material, to make plainly visible and throw out into bold exposure through the glass any suitable word, such as the word Occupied, that will signify the closet is engaged. It is preferred, however, to construct such indicating plate or piece of white material or porcelain, with the word signifying occupancy printed in bold black letters upon its outer surface in line of vision through the glass. Said indicating-plate is covered or exposed, as required, accordingly as the closet is occupied or not, by a hinged shutter or cover D, pivoted, as at d, in the rear, and

which, if not acted upon by a closing-spring,

should be made of sufficient weight in front to secure its automatically dropping to shut out from View the indicating-plate or Word thereon, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. This non-exposure of the word or symbol on the indicator signifies that the closet is unoccupied.

Attached to the lid or cover D is a cord 'or string e, arranged to pass through the back of the box A and through the door of the closet to the inner side of said door, from whence it may pass round a guide-pulley f and be provided with a loop adapted to engage with a hook g, attached to an eye-screw h in the door.

When the closet is occupied, the occupant pulls upon the string 6 and engages it with the hook g, in doing which he lifts the cover D and exposes the indicating-plate and word or sign thereon, signifying that the closet is Occupied. Upon simply unhitching the string from the hook when leaving the closet, the shutter or cover D automatically drops or closes, thus indicating that the closet is unoccupied.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a water-closet indicator, the combination of the box A, secured to the exterior of the door B of the'closet and having an exposed or glazed front, the curved indicatingplate 0, signifying engagement, the pivoted drop-shutter D, having an attached liftingcord or string arranged to pass through the door of the closet for operation from the interior of the closet and provided With means for securing it therein when the shutter is raised, essentially as described.

JOHN DIHRBERG. \Vitnesses:

B. L. HUGHES, E. O. MILLER. 

